Method and means for packaging groups of articles with inserts therebetween



May 8, 1962 H. G. GENTRY I 3,032,942

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING GROUPS 1 OE ARTICLES WITH INsEETs THEREBETWEEN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2l, 1958 INVENTOR. HER/HOND G. GE/YTPY TTOR/VEKS May s, 1962 H. G. GENTRY METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKA OF ARTICLES WITH INSERTS THEREBETWE Filed Aug. 2l, 1958 INVENToR. Mea-@Momo 6, G15/wer BY 75,# g MM ATTORNEYS 2 4 ...v 3 qw 0., 3 W h S mms WE Rw GE G N T. G YA R l N E G May 8, 1962 H G,

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACK oF ARTICLES WITH INSERTS THEREB Filed Aug. 21, 1958 RW- zzo m m m m HERMO/VD G. GEA/TRY United States Patent O 3,032,942 METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING GROUPS OF ARTICLES WITH INSERTS THEREBETWEEN Hermond G. Gentry, Atlanta, Ga., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Mead Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 756,363 9 Claims. (Cl. Sli-26) This invention relates to the packaging of articles in paperboard wrapper cartons of the type adapted to be folded and secured about a group ofarticles to form an open-ended merchandizing package or the like, and more particularly to the formation of packages of this sort with inserts disposed between articles of thepackaged groups.

lCopending application Serial No. 683,149, filed September 10, 1957, now abandoned, for example, discloses a wrapper enclosed package arrangement for glassware articles in which partition elements are disposed in separating relation between the packaged articles. It is also desirable in other instances to place inserts of various sorts between the articles in this type of package, such as inserts that may serve as coasters or mats for the articles after removal from the package, or novelty inserts of one sort or another for promotional purposes or the like.

In addition, it should be noted that copending application Serial No. 663,332, now U.S. Patent No. 2,953,883, discloses an apparatus and method for automatically packaging articles in wrapper blanks to particular advantage, and that the present invention provides for placing the inserts automatically between the articles of packages formed on apparatus such as this copending application illustrates and describes.

According to the present invention, the inserts are placed automatically between the articles as a serially arranged supply thereof is delivered for packaging, the placing of the inserts being done at such intervals as to include the desired number of inserts in each package 'group subsequently separated from the incoming supply in preparation for packaging thereof. Actuation of the placing of the inserts in this manner is arranged for from the operating motion of the packaging apparatus so as to be accomplished without in any way complicating or slowing down the packaging operation.

These and other features of the present invention are described in further detail below in connection with `the accompanying drawings, in which:

PIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of means arranged according to the present invention for inserting partition elements or the like between articles in the course of delivering the articles for packaging;

FIG. 2 is a plan view corresponding generally with FIG. 1;

lFIG. 3 is a right end elevation corresponding generally to PIG. 2, but partly sectioned substantially as seen along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a further right end elevation corresponding generally to FIG. 2, but fragmentary in part and partly sectioned substantially as seen along the lines 4 4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan detail of the actuating connection for the partition inserting means substantially as seen along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is shown in an arrangement adapted for attachment and operation on packaging apparatus of the type disclosed in the above noted copending application Serial No. 663,332, the incoming end of the supporting frame structure for the Vpackaging apparatus being indicated fragmentarily at 3,032,942 Patented May 8, 1962 with an upright bracket mount arranged at 12 thereon to carry means for separating the incoming articles G into package groups, and a second bracket mount at 14 to support a wrapper blank supply hopper and feeding means (not shown) in the manner disclosed by the aforesaid application Serial No. 663,332.

The articles G being packaged are shown in the drawings as capped glass jars, and the incoming supply thereof is illustrated as having partition elements P placed between succeeding pairs of the jars G in preparation for separation into two-jar, partitioned package groups to be packaged as illustrated by the embodiment of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 in the previously mentioned copending application Serial No. 683,149.

The incoming supply of jars G is delivered serially along a guideway formed by a bottom track bar 16 on which the jars G are slidably supported, and side guide mem-bers 1S and 20 by which the jars G are laterally confined in serial alignment on the track bar 16; it being understood that supplementary side guiding means will be extended as indicated at 18 and 20 in FIG. 2 from the delivery means (not shown) provided for the incoming supply.

For the purpose of separating package groups of jars G from the incoming supply, a starwheel 22 is arranged adjacent the upright bracket mount 12 for normally restraining the incoming jar supply while releasing a package group therefrom during each operating cycle of the apparatus, as in the apparatus of the copending application Serial No. 663,332 referred to above. In addition, a supplementary starwheel 24 is provided in accordance with the present invention for restraining the incoming jar supply at two spaced points in advance of the package group separation, so as to relieve the series of jars G in the spacing between these points (i.e., between the starwheels 22 and 24) from the pressure of the incoming supply and allow insertion of the partition elements P readily between the jars G in the series at this spacing.

The spaced starwheels 22 and 24 are rotatably disposed for the foregoing purpose on depending spindles 26 and 2S carried on an overhead mounting bar 30 that is supported at one end on the upright bracket mount 12 and adjacent its other end on a support rod 32 extending upwardly from the frame structure 12 (compare FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). The starwheel spindles 26 and 28 are each fitted above the starwheels 22 and 24 thereon with sprockets 34 and 36 over which a sprocket chain 38 is trained, with an idler tightening sprocket 40 provided therefor -on an adjustable bracket arm 42 also carried by the overhead mounting bar 30.

As arranged in this manner, the starwheels 22 and 24 are positioned in lateral relation above the guideway track bar 16 for engaging successively the bodies of the jars G delivered to the apparatus for packaging. The starwheel 22 is normally locked against rotation by a clutch arm 44 pivoted on the overhead mounting bar 30 to hang so that a lug 46 thereon is biased by gravity to engage a notched clutch plate 48 xed at the upper face of starwheel 22, While the lower end of this clutch arm 44 is offset to extend further downwardly for tripping to release the starwheel 22 at the proper operating periods. Upon release, the starwheel 22, and the starwheel 24 which is geared thereto by the sprocket chain 38, are freed for rotation on the spindles 26 and 28 so as to allow jars G to pass thereby on the guideway track bar 16 under the feeding pressure of the incoming jar supply which may be delivered by any suitable form of feed conveyor (not shown).

The number of jars G allowed to pass by the freed starwheels 22 and 24 is determined by the related form of the notched clutch plate 48. The starwheels 22 and 24 are shown in FIG. 2 as being formed with six jar engaging pockets between the points thereof, and it has previously been noted that the partition element insertion is illustrated for subsequent separation of the incoming jar supply into two-jar, partitioned, package groups. Accordingly, by arranging the clutch plate 4S with three equally spaced notches, two jars G will be allowed to pass the starwheels 22 and 24 between each release thereof upon tripping of the clutch arm 44 and subsequent engagement thereof at the succeeding notch in clutch plate 48. If the clutch plate 48 were formed with two diametrically opposed notches, then three jars G would pass upon each release, while six jars G would pass if only one notch were provided, so that the relation of clutch plate 48 to the starwheels 22 and 24 can be arranged as desired for a particular packaging operation at hand.

The tripping of the clutch arm 48 to effect theV above described package group separating release of the starwheels 22 and 24 is actuated through a trip dog 50 carried on an indexing bar S2 which is otherwise arranged for transferring the separated package groups of jars G from the assembly station, at which they are disposed upon passing the starwheel, stepwise through the subsequent operating stations of the packaging apparatus, as is illustrated and described at length in the previously mentioned copending application Serial No. 663,332, in which indexing bars, such as 52, are shown arranged for reciprocation to effect the stepwise package group transfer in a cyclically operating manner, the reciprocation thereof being provided for through a connection with pivoted operating arms such as is indicated at 54. The operating arm S4 is rocked between the full and dotted line positions illustrated in FIG. 1 by the drive means (not shown) provided for operating the packaging apparatus, and the rocking travel thereof to the dotted line position shown effects the working transfer stroke of the indexing bar 52, while the recovery stroke occurs as the operating arm returns to its full line position. The previously noted trip dog 50 is yieldably arranged to pass beneath the downwardly extending end of the clutch arm 44 on each recovery stroke of indexing bar 52 and to eifect tripping thereof on each working stroke, so that the separation of each package group of jars G from the incoming supply takes place While the previously separated package group is being transferred to the next operating station of the packaging apparatus.

The rocking motion of the pivoted operating arm 54 is also utilized according to the present invention for actuating insertion of the partition elements P between the jars G at the spacing between the starwheels 22 and 24 as referred to above. For this purpose, the operating arm 54 carries a cam shoe 56 arranged for displacing a follower roll to the dotted line position indicated at 58 in FIG. 1 each time operating arm 54 returns to its FIG. 1 full line position at the end of its recovery stroke. Normally, this follower roll is disposed at the position indicated by the reference numeral 58 in FIGS. l and 2, and is mounted on a rock arm 60 extending from a pivot shaft 62 on which a second rock arm 64 is also arranged. A tension spring 66 extended from this second rock arm 64 to the frame structure upright 12 biases both rock arms 60 and 64 toward the normal position shown, which is determined by the setting of an adjustable stop bracket 68.

The second rock arm 64 is linked at its upper end, through a suitable connecting rod assembly 70, to a short arm 72 of a compound bell crank which also includes a long arm 74 (compare FIGS. 2 and 5). The connecting rod assembly 70 is pivotally fixed adjacent one end of the short bell crank arm 72 at 76, and this arm '72 is in turn pivotally mounted intermediate its length at 78 on a supporting post 80 carried by the frame structure 10. Between the pivot points 76 and 78, the short bell crankarm 72 is fitted with a pair of yoke plates 82 in which the long bell crankarrn 74 is pivoted at 84 so as normally to be held in abutting relation at the adjacent 4 side edge of the short arm '72 by a tension spring 86 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, While remaining yieldably associated by this arrangement for giving if any excessive jamming load should occur during partition inserting operations.

The extending end of the long bell crank arm 74 is tted with a further connecting rod assembly 88 extending therefrom to a slide plate 90 carried in a slideway formed by upper and lower slide rails 92 and 94 on which shroud plates 96 and 98 are attached at one side to contain the slide plate 90, and at the other side of which upright framing bars 100, 102 and 104 are assembled to complete the slideway structure for mounting on a bracket support 106 carried by frame structure 12 (compare FiGS. l and 3). As seen in FIG. 3, the two framing bars 102 and 104 closest to the delivery path for the incoming jar supply on track bar 16 are formed with mounting apertures at 102 and 104', respectively, for serving also to support a partition element hopper structure as illustrated in FIGS. l, 2 and 4, and it should be noted that the framing bar 102 is arranged for lateral adjustment in accordance with the width of partition element P being handled.

The partition element hopper structure comprises a pair of upwardly inclined, channel-shaped side members 108 and 100 that are attached, respectively, to the framing bars 102 and 104 at the mounting apertures 102' and 104 therein, and that are held in evenly spaced relation throughout their upwardly inclined length by cross braces 112 adjustably secured at intervals between the bottom channel flange portions thereof (see FIG. 4). These cross braces 112 are additionally arranged for adjustably carrying a bottom hopper member 114 so as to complete the hopper structure for containing a substantial supply of the partition elements P standing uprightly in a downwardly inclined series toward the slideway path of the partition inserting slide plate 90.

As thus arranged, the feeding of the partition elements P is by gravity from the hopper structure to a position aligned with the retracted slide plate 90 (as seen in full lines in FIG. 5), so that the leading partition elements P from the hopper supply are successively stripped therefrom and displaced laterally for insertion between the jars G between the starwheels 22 and 24, as illustrated in FIG. 2, as the slide plate 90 is extended successively to the dotted line position seen in FIG. 5.

Successive extension of therslide plate 90' for this purpose occurs, through the previously described actuating linkage, each time the operating arm 54 returns to its recovered position and displaces the follower roll 5e to its 58 position in the course of doing so. At this time the jars G remain stationary between the starwheels 22 and 24 with the pressure of the incoming supply relieved therefrom, so that the partition insertion is accomplished readily in relation to the package groups of jars G subsequently to be separated. If the package groups being separated require insertion of more than one partition element therein, this may be done simply by multiplying the above described partition inserting means accordingly. For example, a second slideway structure might be arranged for partition inserting operation immediately to the left of the inserting position shown in FIG. 1, with a hopper inclined therefrom oppositely in relation to the one illustrated Alternatively, partition inserting means might be arranged in staggered relation at each side of the incoming jar supply, or any combination of such arrangements or the like might be used for multiple partition insertion.

In order to maintain the partition elements P feeding regularly and consistently from the hopper structure, and to control smoothly the inserting displacement thereof, a guide plate 116 is preferably attached across the top channel ange portions of the hopper sides 10S and 110, as seen in FiGS. 1 and 2, with entrance and delivery lip portions disposed to press downwardly into place for prop- 5 erly aligned feeding any partition elements that may tend to rise between the hopper sides 108 and 11% while advancing downwardly therein; and a leaf spring such as is indicated at 118 in FIGS. l and 2 is also preferably arranged to bear on the leading partition P of the supply feeding from the hopper structure so as to exert a retaining drag thereon sutiicient to insure its following the inserting motion of the slideplate 90 smoothly. For this purpose, the leaf spring 118 may be mounted on the adjacent side guide member 20 so as to extend therefrom in contact with the leading partition P at the face portion thereof exposed between the slideway shroud plates 96 and 98.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for packaging articles in a wrapper blank comprising an assembly station at which successive package groups of said articles are separated from a serially arranged incoming supply, cyclically operating means for transferring a separated package group from said assembly station to a subsequent operating station, releasable means normally restraining delivery of said incoming supply to said assembly station, said cyclically operating means acting to release said last named means for separating delivery of a package group of said articles from said incoming supply to said assembly station while a previously separated package group is transferred to said subsequent operating station and means additionally actuated by said cyclically operating means for placing inserts transversely between articles of said incoming supply while restrained by said releasable means, the placing of said inserts being actuated at such intervals that at least one of said inserts is positioned between articles of each package group subsequently separated at said assembly station.

2. Apparatus for packaging glassware articles in a wrapper blank comprising an assembly station at which successive package groups of said articles are separated from an incoming supply, said assembly station including a guideway for receiving and guiding serially said incoming supply of articles, releasable means disposed laterally adjacent said guideway for normally restraining delivery of said incoming supply of articles at two spaced points in advance of said assembly station, cyclically operating means for transferring a separated package group from said assembly station to a subsequent operating station, said cyclically operating means acting to release said restraining means for separating delivery of a package group of said articles from said incoming supply to said assembly station while a previously separated package group is transferred to said subsequent operating station, and means disposed laterally adjacent said guideway opposite said releasable restraining means and actuated by said cyclically operating means upon recovery thereof from transferring said previously separated package group for inserting partition elements transversely between articles of said incoming supply intermediate the spaced restraining points of said restraining means at such intervals that the articles of each package group separated at said assembly station have said partition elements interposed therebetween.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that said restraining means comprises a pair of rotatably mounted starwheels spaced lengthwise of said guideway for engaging successively the articles of said incoming supply as received and guided thereby, means connecting said starwheels for rotation in equally timed relation, and means yieldably biased for normally holding said starwheels against rotation, said last mentioned means being disposed for displacement by said cyclically operating means to release said starwheels for suiiicient rotation to allow delivery of a package group of said articles thereby.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 and further char- 6 acterized in that said partition element inserting means comprises a slideway disposed transversely of said guideway and aligned at a plane in which two articles of said incoming supply are adjacent when held thereon between said two spaced points by said restraining means, a hopper structure mounted on said slideway for delivering the leading partition element of a serially arranged supply successively thereto, a slide plate carried in said slideway for reciprocation between a retracted position sidewise of a leading partition element delivered to said slideway from said hopper structure and an extended position sidewise of said articles on said guideway, and means connecting said slide plate for displacement from said retracted to said extended position by said cyclically operating means upon said recovery thereof.

5. In packaging apparatus of the character described, means for feeding package inserts during the packaging operation of said apparatus, said feeding means comprising a slideway, a hopper structure mounted on said slideway for delivering the leading insert of a serially arranged supply successively thereto, a slide plate carried in said slideway for reciprocation between a retracted position sidewise of a leading insert delivered to said slideway from said hopper structure and an extended position across the mounted position of said hopper structure on said slideway for stripping said leading insert from the serially arranged insert supply being delivered, and means connecting said slide plate for displacement from said retracted position to said extended position by the operating motion of said packaging apparatus, said hopper structure being mounted on said slideway with an upwardly inclined extending disposition therefrom for containing said serially arranged supply of inserts standing uprightly therein and feeding down the hopper structure incline by gravity to said slideway, and the top of said hopper structure being open except for a guide plate across the top thereof adjacent said slideway with entrance and delivery lip portions disposed to press downwardly into place for properly aligned feeding any insert tending to rise in said hopper structure while feeding down the incline thereof.

6. In a packaging apparatus of the character described, the structure dened in claim 5 and further characterized in that means is disposed to bear at the exposed face of each leading insert delivered from said hopper structure to said slideway for exerting a retaining drag thereon sufcient to hold said leading inserts in smooth following relation with respect to the displacement of said slide plate.

7. In a packaging apparatus of the character described, the structure defined in claim 5 and further characterized in that said means connecting said slide plate for displacement comprises a compound bell crank having a rst arm portion pivotally mounted and directly connected for pivoting by the operating motion of said packaging apparatus, a second arm portion pivoted adjacent one end on said first arm portion and directly connected at the other end for displacing said slide plate, and yieldable means holding said second arm portion in a normal relation to said rst arm portion for pivoting therewith while allowing relative pivoting of said second arm portion under abnormal resistance to displacement of said slide plate.

8. The method of packaging a group of articles within a wrapper blank with at least one insert positioned between articles of the package group, which method cornprises applying a delivery feeding pressure to a supply of contacting articles to feed said articles serially for packaging, said pressure being transmitted through said contacting articles, periodically restraining said articles at a point intermediate the ends of said supply to interrupt said feeding and relieve the delivery feeding pressure from a group of serially arranged articles beyond said point while the articles back of said point remain under said delivery feeding pressure, placing at least one insert between the articles in said group while said pressure is relieved, and

then enclosing said group and placed insert in a wrapper blank.

9. The method of packaging a group of articles within a Wrapper blank with at least one insert positioned between articles of the package group, which method comprises applying a delivery feeding pressure to a supply of contacting articles arranged serially on a stationary surface to feed said articles serially along said surface for packaging, said pressure being transmitted through said contacting articles, periodically restraining said articles at a point intermediate the ends of said supply of articles to interrupt said feeding and relieve the delivery feeding pressure from a group of serially arranged articles on said stationary surface beyond said point While the articles back of said point remain under said delivery feeding pressure, placing at least one insert between the articles in said group while on said surface with said pressure relieved, and then enclosing said group and placed insert in a Wrapper blank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,044,500 Converse Nov. 19, 1912 1,721,811 Evans et al. July 23, 1929 2,013,555 Deeren Sept. 3, 1935 2,254,097 Wood Aug. 26, 194,1 2,527,252 Gorman Oct. 24, 1950 2,615,289 Hickin Oct. 28, 1952 2,678,151 Geisler May 1l. 11954 

